They say: the new Maradona. He says: the new Tevez
It's fair to say Ezequiel Lavezzi enjoyed 2008. A Beijing Olympics gold medallist, he has been scoring goals aplenty in Serie A for Napoli, prompting comparisons to Diego Maradona. But "Pocho" doesn't really play like Diego – he prefers to namecheck Carlos Tevez – and the elusive forward is a master of chaos and improvisation.
Having made his way up from Argentina's lower divisions after being on the Boca Juniors books as a teenager, he knows every trick there is; and he's also keen to make the most of his chance, having had one failed European adventure already (signed by Genoa as a teenager, he was loaned straight back to San Lorenzo and watched from afar as his parent team suffered Calcipoli demotion and subsequent financial strife).
Unpredictable, explosive and able to draw fouls near the box, he scored 10 goals in his first 40 appearances for Napoli as they and he adjusted well to the big time.
His talent is matched only by his temper – it's not often a 5ft 8in forward gets nicknamed The Beast – but it's been all smiles since moving back to Italy, standing out for both Napoli and Argentina. Linked with Chelsea in the summer 2008, he may only be held back by his volatility and diminutive stature.
Scouting report: Ezequiel Lavezzi